Alkylidenedithiobisphenols

ABSTRACT

Compounds having the general formula:   WHERE R is an alkyl radical substituted by a radical selected from the class consisting of alkoxy, carbonyl and ester radicals. The compounds are useful for reducing blood cholesterol in warmblooded animals.

United States Patent Neuworth ALKYLIDENEDITHIOBISPHENOLS Inventor: Martin B. Neuworth, Trumbull,

Conn.

Assignee: Continental Oil Company, Ponca City, Okla.

Filed: May 29, 1973 Appl. No.: 367,055

Related U.S. Application Data U.S. Cl. 260/609 F Int. Cl. C07c 149/36 Field of Search 260/609 F, 470, 590

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1971 Neuworth 260/609 F [451 July 29,1975

Primary Examiner-Lewis Gotts Assistant Examiner-D. R. Phillips Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ronald J. Carlson [57] ABSTRACT Compounds having the general formula:

where R is an alkyl radical substituted by a radical selected from the class consisting of alkoxy', carbonyl and ester radicals. The compounds are useful for reducing blood cholesterol in warm-blooded animals.

3 Claims, N0 Drawings l ALKYLIDENEDITHIOBISPHENOLS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a division of application Ser. No. 206,929, filed Dec. 10, 1971 (now U.S. Pat. No. 3,786,100) which in turn was a division of application Ser. No. 835,81 1, filed June 23', 1969 (now abandoned), which in turn was a continuation in part of applications Ser. Nos. 637,622, 637,649 and 637,650, all'filed 'Mayl l, 1967 (all now abandoned).

BACKGROUND QFTHE INVENTION 7 I SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thenovel chemical compounds of the present invention possessthe property of lowering the cholesterol content of the blood of warm-blooded animals. They have the following general formula:

where R is an alkyl radical substituted by a radical selected from the class consisting of alkoxy, carbonyl and ester radicals.

The compounds of the present invention are prepared as follows. The appropriate 4-mercaptophenol is reacted with the appropriate carbonyl compound in the presence of a strong acid catalyst according to the following equation:

e-cm,

Acid 21-10 G SH+R c CH, W

t-cbflg t'CuHg CH3 t-culig HOG s c sQon I tCuHs R t-CuHs where R is an alkyl radical substituted by a radical selected from the class consisting of alkoxy, carbonyl and ester radicals. The appropriate 4-mercaptophenol may be prepared by any one of several known methods. For example, thiocyanation of the appropriate phenol, followed by reduction, is one of such methods. For details, see Organic Reactions, Vol. III, Chapter 6, by Roger Adams et al.; also the article by Muller et al., entitled Untersuchungen an schwefelhaltigen Aroylen mittels der Electronenresonanz" in Liebigs Annalen (1961,

'Bd. 645, p. 79);.and, ,finally, U. S Pat. No. 3,129,262. The mercaptoph'enol and the appropriatecarbonyl compound are preferably dissolved-in an'inert organic solventtoprovide a homogeneous reaction mixture. At leasta; stoichiometric amount oft he carbonyl compound; isused. The catalyst isa strong acid catalyst, for example hydrochloric acid lsulfuric acid, perchloric acid,-- and strong acid cationic exchange; resins. The reaction: is mildly exothermic initially; external heating is then required to maintain the reaction temperature, generally between 50 and l00C.-,Reaction. times of 0.8 to 6 hours are generally required. H r The following examples illustrate the compounds of this inventiomln each example, the chemicaLname and structural formula of the compound are first given, The identity of the compound produced in each example was established by conventional methods of analysis.

EXAMPLE 1 Preparation of: 2-Octanone:

bis( 3,5-di-t-butyl-4- hydroxyphenyl )mercaptal A 500-milliliter flask (stirrer: thermometer, condenser with H O scrubber, gas inlet) was charged with 23.8 grams .of 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-mercaptophenol- (0.1 mole) and 6.4 grams of 2-octanone (0.05 mole),(the stoichiometric amount was used rather than the usual l00% excess because of the difficulty=of removing the unused ketone from the reaction mixture), in .150 milliliters of methanol. The charge washeated to about 50C., saturated with gaseous HCl, and held at 68C. for'about 6 hours. A crystalline precipitate formed. The product mixture was filtered, washed with 100 milliliters 90% MeOH and air dried. It weighed 27.3 grams and had a melting point of l26-l27C. The yield was 90%.

EXAMPLE 2 Preparation of: Z-Pentanone: 4-methyl, bis(3,5-di-tbutyl-4hydroxyphenyl) mercaptal A BOO-milliliter flask (stirrer, thermometer, condenser with H O scrubber, gas inlet) was charged with 23.8 grams of 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-mercaptophenol (0.1 mole) and 10.0 grams of methyl isobutyl ketone (0.1 mole) in 150 milliliters methanol. The solution was heated to about 50C. and saturated with HCl. The mixture was held at a temperature near 70C,,for about 6 hours. A crystalline solid had formed in the flask. The mixture was filtered; washed with l00 milliliters 'of methanol; and dried. 12.8 Grams of product were recovered having a melting point of l26l30C. The yield was 44 percent.

The compounds of the present invention are useful for reducing the level of cholesterol in the blood of warmblooded animals. They may be employed directly in suitable dosage, or as the active ingredient in a feed composition, or with suitable nontoxic carriers. Good results are obtained with dosages of from to 600 milligrams of active compound per kilogram of body weightof the recipient to provide a total intake of up to 3000 mg/kg per 24 hours.

The following table tabulates the percent reduction of cholesterol in the blood of rodents effected by the use of compounds of this invention. The compound was added to commercial rodent chow at a level of 0.125% by weight, and the mice were allowed to feed ad libitum for two weeks. At the-end of this period, serum cholesterol determinations were performed on all the mice.

TABLE 1.

Percent Cholesterol Reduction Percent Compound Reduction Example I Z-Octanone: Bis-( 3,5-dit-hutyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-mercaptal l7 Example 2 2-Pentanonez 4-methyl-Bis-(3.5di-t-butyL4- hydroxyphcnyl)-mercaptal 21 one of the above-described compositions. Based on observations of average consumption of the composition and the concentration of the test compound, each mouse received an estimated oral dosage of about 250 milligrams of test compound per kilogram of animal body weight per day. A separate group of similar male mice was fed for two weeks on a diet consisting of an identical rodent mash which contained no test compound to serve as a check. At the end of the 2-week period, the mice in each group were anesthetized with ether and exsanguinated.

Serum cholesterol levels were determined for each mouse by taking a 0.05 milliliter aliquot of serum from each mouse and adding to the aliquot 3 milliliters of a 0.08 percent solution of ferric chloride in pure acetic acid. The serum was mixed with the ferric chlorideacetic acid solution and the mixture was allowed to stand for 10 to 15 minutes to flocculate protein. The protein was precipitated by centrifugation and the clear supernatent fluid was transferred to a stoppered test tube. Two milliliters of sulfuric acid was added to the supernatant and mixed well. The tubes were then left to stand exposed to air for 20 to 30 minutes. Serum cholesterol was determined by measuring the percent transmission at a wave length of 560 millimicrons in a spectrophotometer and comparing the percent transmission to that observed with solutions containing known amounts of cholesterol.

The average serum cholesterol level in milligrams of cholesterol per milliliters of serum was calculated for each test group and for the check group. The percentage reduction in serum cholesterol level was calculated by dividing the difference between the cholesterol levels in the test group and the check group by the cholesterol level in the check group and multiplying the quotient by 100.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, 1 have explained the principle, preferred construction, and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

1 claim:

1. A compound having the general formula t--C l-I CH t--C H I 3 S C S OH l R t--C H tC H where R is an alkyl radical containing 4 or 6 carbon atoms.

2. 2-Octanone:Bis-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)- mercaptal.

3. Z-Pentanone: 4-methyl-Bis-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4- hydroxyphenyl)-mercaptal. 

1. A COMPOUND HAVING THE GENERAL FORMULA
 2. 2-Octanone:Bis-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-mercaptal.
 3. 2-Pentanone: 4-methyl-Bis-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-mercaptal. 